


Childhood Crushes

by ceruleyana



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:20:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25580488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceruleyana/pseuds/ceruleyana
Summary: Bilbo is expecting company, but he hadn't counted on his Aunt Mirabella showing up out of the blue, revealing things he preferred to keep hidden.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield
Comments: 14
Kudos: 235





	Childhood Crushes

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Hope you all enjoy this short bit of fluff!

A heavy knock echoed through the halls of Bag-End. Bilbo almost dropped the plate of roast chicken that he had meticulously prepared for a better part of the day. He had hoped that it wasn't a nosy neighbor with a keen sense of smell, of heaven forbid, Lobelia looking to "appraise" the condition of Bag-End once again. 

Bilbo gently placed the plate on the dining table, and hurried towards the front door. He took off his apron and mittens before finally opening the door. 

"Good afternoon! I would normally be welcoming towards guests as all hobbits are, but I already have a prior engagement planned and- Oh!“

There, right in front of him, looking weary yet no less happy, was Thorin Oakenshield, grinning widely. "Master Baggins. It is good to see you again."

Bilbo lightly swatted him with his apron, grinning as well. "You're early! I thought you would get here by nighttime still."

"If this is your way of telling me to leave then I will oblige." Thorin said jokingly. 

"Don't be ridiculous. Come on in!" Bilbo stepped aside to let Thorin through the door. "Look at you, you must be exhausted. Famished too! I've just finished preparing the chicken. Good timing too!" 

"Bilbo." Thorin approached Bilbo and embraced him tightly, which Bilbo instinctively returned. "I have missed you."

Bilbo's throat felt suddenly dry at hearing the warmth in Thorin's voice. "I missed you too, Thorin." 

They stayed like that, hugging for a long period of time, but to Bilbo, it felt like mere moments. As Thorin stepped away, Bilbo already found himself missing the warmth. 

"Yes, well." Bilbo coughed, not knowing where to put his hands and having them settle on his suspenders. "Follow me! Like I said, you must be hungry. I never did get to cook for you lot, raiding my pantry and all. It's time you get to try good hobbit cooking."

They both stepped into the dining hall, and Bilbo, out of the corner of his eye, saw Thorin's eyes widen at the spread on the table. 

He found himself smiling. "I hope that it's enough food for you. I didn't know how much dwarves eat. I was too out of sorts when you all came here, and traveling rations aren't exactly a good basis. I figured that if thirteen dwarves can empty a hobbit's pantry, well, we must have similar appetites."

"Bilbo, this is more than enough." Thorin still stared with wonder at the dining table, filled end to end with dishes. 

"Well, months of traveling, I figured you were starving." Bilbo gestured at the table. "Dig in!"

Both Bilbo and Thorin tucked themselves in and started eating. As Thorin started devouring a chicken leg, he turned to Bilbo. "How fares the Shire, then? You did not mention how you were received when you got back. You always dodged the subject in your letters."

Bilbo winced as he took a bite of broccoli from his plate. "Ah, you all noticed that, then?" At Thorin's questioning stare, he continued. "Well... I may have been presumed dead by the general public, and they may have started auctioning my furniture when I got back."

Thorin dropped his fork and quickly stood up. "What? They ransacked your home and sold your possessions?" 

"Thorin, please!" Bilbo panicked, seeing Thorin's hand starting to near the hilt of his sword. "I sorted it all out. Honestly, there's no need for a fuss. I had been gone for a long while, after all."

"You risked your life to reclaim my home, only to find yours violated when you got back. There is absolutely a need for a fuss." Thorin said grimly, glaring at his plate, but sitting down, much to Bilbo's relief. 

"This is why I didn't tell any of you. I knew you lot would overreact. It is a small thing, Thorin. I got back all my things anyway. Well, except for my spoons, I think." Bilbo gently nibbled on his fork. "Lobelia's always trying to make off with those, and now I can't tell which ones are real silver and which ones are decoys."

Thorin continued to munch angrily on his food. "You do not deserve such treatment. You are no less than a hero, and should be treated as such."

Bilbo felt a blush rising on his face, and drank from his mug to cover it up. "Me. A hero. You're being ridiculous again, Thorin, really."

"I am not." Thorin said solemnly. "You are a hero, Bilbo Baggins. Never forget that because we dwarrow will not."

Bilbo coughed again and ducked his head, willing the redness of his face to go away. "Well, it seems there's no convincing you otherwise."

Bilbo quickly switched subjects to save himself from further embarrassment. "So, have you been in contact with your sister lately?" 

Thorin went back to a somewhat amiable manner. "I planned to write to her sometime this evening, actually. From her last letter, everyone is about ready to depart. They only wait for my return."

Bilbo looked up when his face didn't feel as warm. "She must be very excited to see you."

"She is more excited to see her sons." Thorin took a sip of his own drink. "She still won't believe me that they are healthy, and she will keep doing so until she sees them with her own eyes."

"I can't say I blame her. They are her only children, the rascals." Bilbo chuckled, taking another bite. "How are they, the rest of the Company?" 

Before Thorin could answer, they heard a knock on the front door. 

Bilbo sighed before putting his utensils down and standing up. "I better see who's there. Don't worry, I'll be quick. Just keep enjoying the food."

Bilbo walked out of the dining hall, and opened the front door to reveal his Aunt Mirabella with a basket in hand. 

"Aunt Mirabella, what a surprise! What brings you to this side of the Shire?" 

"Why, hello, Bilbo! I came by just to drop off a bit of a snack as a thank you for what you did for my dear Primula last week." She raised her eyebrow as Bilbo stepped in front of her, blocking her way into Bag-End. "Aren't you going to let your aunt in?" 

"About that. I have a visitor inside, you see and-" 

"Oh, is that what your neighbors are whispering about? Really, they should mind their own business." She wrinkled her nose, reminiscent of the way Bilbo wrinkled his. 

"Yes, well, you know us hobbits." Bilbo laughed. "Can never gossip too much."

Aunt Mirabella chuckled along with him. "Somehow, the hobbits in Hobbiton are more prone to gossip than others." Something behind Bilbo caught her eye. "Well, if it isn't your visitor!" 

Bilbo looked behind him and saw Thorin trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. Honestly, and he thought hobbits were nosy! 

Thorin, for his part, looked sheepish at getting caught. "Ah, hello there."

Aunt Mirabella peered at Thorin. "Have you perhaps been to the Shire before?" 

Bilbo frowned. "Yes, aunt. He was one of the dwarves that I traveled with-" 

Aunt Mirabella waved him off. "Yes, yes. What I meant is before that. Years ago." 

Bilbo looked back at Thorin who answered. "Yes, I had come here looking for work a few decades ago."

Aunt Mirabella clapped her hands at Thorin's response. "Yes! I knew you looked familiar. In fact, you've barely changed. A bit greyer perhaps. You fixed up my gardening tools. Still as good as new to this day."

Thorin smiled. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Oh, but where are my manners? Mirabella Brandybuck nee Took. Pleasure to meet you once again."

Thorin bowed. "Thorin, at your service."

"And to think, you traveled with him, Bilbo." Aunt Mirabella had a knowing look. "Why, you said you wanted to marry him, after all!" 

Bilbo felt his eyes widen, and he sputtered. "What- I- I never told anyone that! How did you know I'm in love with him? Who told you?" 

Both his Aunt Mirabella and Thorin looked at him with shock. 

"I meant when you were young, Bilbo." Aunt Mirabella blinked at Bilbo who was starting to become pale. "You and Belladonna would go over to the smithy and spend time with Mister Thorin, is what I meant. You were quite enamored with him, don't you remember?" 

"You are in love with me?" Thorin asked quietly, not quite meeting Bilbo's eyes. 

"I-" Bilbo couldn't utter any more words out of shame, and so he stormed inside Bag-End and into his quarters, quickly locking the door and burying his face into his hands. 

He leaned against the door, his hands still on his face and groaned in frustration. He cursed his younger self for being foolish, as well as his tongue for revealing himself. He could never face Thorin again after this. 

He closed his eyes, trying to will away what he had said, knowing it was futile. He could not take it back. He had said what he had said. There was no turning back. He had ruined his friendship with Thorin, only recently repaired. 

His despairing thoughts were interrupted by a knock. "Bilbo?" He heard Thorin's voice through the wooden door. "Please come out."

Bilbo hesitated, and Thorin called out his name once again. Bilbo took a deep breath, and put his hand on the knob, opening the door. 

Thorin was standing by the doorframe, looking at Bilbo with such an intensity that made Bilbo want to disappear. "Bilbo, look at me." 

Bilbo had thought orcs were terrifying but they were nothing compared to Thorin's stare. Still, he looked him in the eye. "I must apologize for putting you in this position, but-" 

"I feel the same way."

Bilbo blinked, unsure of what he had heard, deeming it too good to be true. "You what?" 

"I feel the same way." Thorin stepped closer into Bilbo's space, crowding him. "I love you as well, Bilbo Baggins."

Bilbo felt his breath catch as Thorin leaned into him, stopping a breath away from his lips, as though asking for permission. Bilbo closed his eyes and surged forward, their lips crashing together. Bilbo felt his hands clumsily grasp Thorin's shoulders for fear of falling simply because he could no longer feel the floor below him. He felt as though he were in an intoxicating haze, the scent that was uniquely Thorin filling his being as his tongue explored Thorin's mouth.

Thorin pulled him closer, skin desperate to touch skin, and Bilbo let out a loud moan and Thorin's mouth left his, and started trailing kisses down his neck. Bilbo stepped back as Thorin's lips landed on a ticklish spot near his ear, and they both stumbled, landing on the wooden floor. 

Thorin and Bilbo looked at each other, panting before Bilbo let out a high-pitched giggle, followed by laughter from Thorin. 

Thorin rolled away from on top of Bilbo, settling beside him on the floor. "I thought it would take more convincing, to be honest."

Bilbo looked at him. "What?" 

"Wooing you."

"All you had to do was ask. I'd be a fool to say no."

"Would you go to Erebor with me, Bilbo?" Thorin looked vulnerable as he asked, like he expected to be rejected. 

Bilbo said nothing for a few moments, then he smiled warmly. "I suppose I should find someone to inherit Bag-End. I'm tempted to give it to Aunt Mirabella just because of this."

Thorin grinned at him, and kissed him lightly. "You know, you used to braid flowers into my hair."

Bilbo, who after traveling with dwarves for many months knew the significance of braids, blushed. "Oh, did I?" Bilbo reached out to touch Thorin's cheek, his beard tickling his palm. "I think I'd like to do it again."

"I would like that." Thorin leaned into Bilbo's hand, kissing his palm. 

They stayed there for a long while, just enjoying each other's company. They moved to the bed when the sun had set. 

They will only remember the already cold food the day after, each sating the other's hunger throughout the night. Bilbo will grumble at the sight of the spoiled food gone to waste while Thorin will smile fondly and help clean up. 

Bilbo will remind himself to send his Aunt Mirabella a basket filled with her favorite baked goods amongst other things as a thank you before he leaves for Erebor. 


End file.
